HEDGEROW CRANE'S-BILL

Geranium pyrenaicum

Crane's-bill (Geranium) Family [Geraniaceae]  

month8May month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8Aug month8sep month8sept
status
statusZneophyte
flower
flower8pink
morph
morph8actino
petals
petalsZ5
stem
stem8round

4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Similar to Dove's-foot Crane's-bill, but larger at 25-60cm high (as opposed to up to 40cm high for Dove's-foot Crane's-bill)


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Like Dove's-foot Crane's-bill, has 5 petals which are deeply notched. Flowers 14-18mm across being larger than those of Dove's-foot Crane's-bill at only 6-10mm.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
The basal leaves are long-stalked and large at 5-8cm across and rounder than those of Dove's-foot Crane's-bill


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Leaves widening to the tips.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Fruits are downy (bottom left).


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Stems have hairs much shorter than the long 1-2mm of Dove's-foot Crane's-bill. Sepals hairy.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Petal are a dull purple colour as opposed to those of Dove's-foot Crane's-bill which are a brighter pink. Unlike Dove's-foot Crane's-bill, not all stamens have anthers.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Anthers are a dull purple (as opposed to rosy pink stamens on Dove's-foot Crane's-bill)


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Five long, pale-fawn stigma in the centre surrounded by 10 white stamens (here without anthers).


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Sepals hairier than the stem.


Many similarities to : Dove's-foot Crane's-bill (Geranium molle) but that is a shorter plant with smaller duller-coloured flowers. It also has a perennial rootstock. For other differentiations, see captions.

Slight resemblance to : Wood Crane's-bill (Geranium sylvaticum) but that is taller still at up to 75cm and has mauve flowers (which are sometimes slightly notched).

Related to : Stork's-bills such as Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium) [a plants with similar names in a differing Genus but in the same family]

Grows in grassy places, hedgerows and banks.


USE BY BUTTERFLIES
LAYS EGGS ON CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS BUTTERFLY
Brown Argus



  Geranium pyrenaicum  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Geraniaceae  

Distribution
family8Cranesbill family8Geranium family8Geraniaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8geranium
Geranium
(Crane's-bills)

HEDGEROW CRANE'S-BILL

Geranium pyrenaicum

Crane's-bill (Geranium) Family [Geraniaceae]  

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